Help getting my Center Channel to work properly.

Hello,

I have a Martin Logan Center channel, Cinema, and M.L Aeon Front speakers. I haven't been able to get my center channel positioned correctly to get the best sound out of it. I can't even use it currently because it muffles the voices rather than projecting them. I've read that they have a specific "sweet" spot that they have to be set in, in order to get the best sound but it's discouraging to own a 1800 speaker and not be able to use it because I can't get it "perfectly" setup. Any advice or possible products that you guys offer that can help me out. Thanks.

5 Comments

Yes, electrostatics do have their positioning challenges especially in the form factor of the center channel. The first and most important thing to do is to optimize the positioning. If being on axis isn't an option then tilting up (or down) is a must so that the speaker center is pointing to the listener's ears. Avoid the floor and cabinets if possible because they add problems that are sometimes insurmountable.

Once positioning is optimized then MultEQ room correction can help greatly in fixing response issues. Depending on your budget there are numerous AVRs and prepros from several companies (Denon, Onkyo, Integra, NAD, etc.) that offer MultEQ. If you haven't already, please take a look through the list here:

Hi, Chris: I have a 5.1 setup with surround speakers on each side pointing directly to the listening area. My POLK LSI-FX speakers have a switch labeled "bipole" or "dipole". Which setting should I use prior to doing the Audyssey auto setup?? What is the difference between the two?

For movies, it's best to set your surrounds to dipole. This better simulates the array of surrounds speakers that you see in a movie theater. The idea is to get diffuse sound from the surrounds that is not localized to the speakers. Dipoles produce a figure-8 radiation pattern by wiring the tweeters out-of-phase so that the null of the "8" is pointed to the listener. Ideally, they should be placed directly to the side at ±90°.

Bipole and dipole speakers have drivers that fire on either side of the speaker cabinet. Dipoles have the high frequency drivers wired out of phase to each other, while bipoles have them wired in phase. In general, dipoles will produce more diffuse sound.